Warning issued over photoplankton bloom on Moray and Aberdeenshire coast

SEPA has issued an awareness notice of several bright red rockpools along the Moray Firth coast caused by either a phytoplankton or algal bloom.

They’ve received reports of this naturally-occurring phenomenon near the old pool at Portsoy, at the New Aberdour caves and to the west of Sandhaven.

The condition is accompanied by a nasty odour of decay because the water in the pools is usually stagnant and is a combination of the warm weather, lack of rainfall and low tides – with rockpools higher up the beach not being flushed out.

Members of the public should avoid these rockpools and ensure that dogs do not drink this water or swim in them.

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